DeformGroups

DeformGroups are used to toggle the material of a mesh based on beam deformation (or breakage).

They are used for breaking glass and lights.

A mesh with a deformGroup assigned to it must be all one material, since the system works by changing the material of the entire mesh.

The system is compatible with the glowMaps lights system. A mesh can have multiple dummy materials and work with deformGroups as long as the eventual displayed material is the same.

DeformGroups exist in two places - in the flexbodies section applied to a mesh, and in the beams section to determine what beams to trigger deformation with.

	"flexbodies": [
		 ["mesh", "[group]:","nonFlexMaterials"],
		 //the body
		 ["body", ["body"]],
		 ["subframe", ["body","subframe"]],
		 {"deformGroup":"windshield_break", "deformMaterialBase":"glass", "deformMaterialDamaged":"glass_dmg"}
		 ["windshield", ["body"]],
		 {"deformGroup":""}
	],

Always remember to "close" any properties by setting them to blank, as shown.

	"beams": [
		 ["id1:", "id2:"],
		 //windshield
		 {"deformationTriggerRatio":0.03}
		 {"deformGroup":"windshield_break"}
		 ["wi1","wi2"],
		 {"deformGroup":""}
	],

DeformationTriggerRatio is the threshold of deformation at which the deformGroup triggers the material switch. If any beam that's part of this deformGroup breaks this will also trigger the switch.

Vehicle Creation
Get started: Introduction to Vehicle Creation
JBeam Overview Introduction • Reference • Construction Guide Physics Nodes (refNodes) • Beams (Anisotropic • Bounded • Support • Pressured • L-Beam) • Coltris (Quads • Pressure Simulation) Dynamics DeformGroups • Engine Thermals • Hydros • Powertrain • PressureWheels • Slidenodes • Slots • Sounds • Superchargers • Turbochargers Visuals Flexbodies • Fires • GlowMap • Props (License Plates • Spotlights) • Skins Extras Blender Exporter plugin • Modeling and Texturing Guide • Vehicle Materials • Vehicle Specific Bindings Upkeep JBeam changelog • 0.8 Mod Conversion Guide • 0.8 Add-on Mod Conversion Guide • 0.8 Configuration Conversion Guide • 0.11 Mod Conversion Guide Deprecated HubWheels
See also: JBeam Examples • JBeam Physics Theory